Pharmaceutical company Astellas has revealed plans to build a €330 million state-of-the-art facility in Tralee, County Kerry.

By submitting a planning application the company will be one step closer to expanding their capacity and capabilities for aseptic drug products, reinforcing stable global supply production and advancing the development and commercialisation of antibody drugs and other new products.

Hideki Shima, Chief Manufacturing Officer at Astellas said: "Astellas is developing innovative drugs and technologies based on our Focus Area research and development approach, placing patients at the forefront of everything we do. With the new facility, Astellas will aim to strengthen our in-house production capacity and capabilities and ensure a stable supply of high-quality Astellas medicines to patients around the world."

In regard to Astellas' announcement, Minister Simon Coveney TD stated: "I very much welcome Astellas' decision to build a new cutting-edge facility in Tralee. The substantial investment it will bring, coupled with the promise of highly specialised engineering, science and technology jobs, is of great importance for the southwest region.

-- Advertisement --

"Astellas' commitment to aligning the new facility with their ambitious sustainability targets and values, incorporating the highest national and international best practice in energy and environmental design, is commendable. It is also fully in keeping with the Government’s commitment to decarbonise our economy and society, as outlined in our White Paper on Enterprise 2022-30. I wish Astellas every success as they embark on this transformative project."

The Tralee facility will be located on the Industrial Development Authority's (IDA) site in Kerry Technology Park. This project will bring specialised engineering, science and technology roles to the region.

Michael Lohan, an IDA CEO said: "This announcement from Astellas is excellent news for the South West region and indeed Ireland. Astellas already has a presence in both Kerry and Dublin and this significant investment of approximately €330 million, adding a new state-of-the-art aseptic drug product facility, underscores the strategic importance Ireland plays in Astellas’ global operations. The new facility in Tralee will be built with sustainability at its core and will showcase Ireland and our regional attractiveness as a location for investment."

Due to the facility being built in line with Astellas' ambitious sustainability targets and values, the project aims to cut water use by half, reduce operational energy by more than one third and produce zero waste to landfill. On-site renewable technology will also include solar SV Panels and a biomass boiler.